The present invention relates to fluid control valves, and more particularly to hydraulically controlled valves. Still more specifically the invention concerns an improved mode of installation and application of valves assembled in and operating as a group within a common, integral housing, all as will become evident from the detailed description hereinbelow.
While the device according to the present invention may be operated using most any type of known valves, it is most advantageous to employ--and the invention will be exemplified with specific reference to--valves as disclosed in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,130.
In the art of fluid flow control--in particular with regard to water irrigation installations--there arises the need for larger diameter control valves, say of 4" or more. Valves of such sizes are rather expensive, since even under normal network pressures, the forces that the valve parts and components must withstand are great, sometimes beyond the mechanical strength of synthetic materials such as plastic, from which they are usually made.
Furthermore, from the reliability point of view, if a failure occurs in a single, large-size valve and it becomes inoperative--the entire line is put out of service.
These considerations have led to the approach, lying at the base of the present invention, to substitute singular large-size valves by a combination or a battery of small-size valves that will yield a less expensive article of manufacture and of a more reliable operation, and--not less important--will achieve a series of further goals, as follows.
It sometimes happens that a single, main line is feeding a number of consumers, say different plots of the same piece of land. In such cases, it is customary to provide the main line with a common manifold and tap-off a number of branches leading to the different plots, each with its individual control valve.